Foot rests



Dec. 17, 1957 H. WILSON Foor RESTS Filed March 22, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I i 23 Fig Z l H. L. WILSON Dec. 17, 1957 FOOT RESTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1956 V OMQMH k mww y 6 m H w United States Patent Ofiice 2,816,296 Patented Dec. 17, 19 57.

FOOT RESTS Harvey L. Wilson, Mexia, Tex. Application March 22, 1956, Serial No. 573,142

2 Claims. (Cl. -317 My invention relates to improvements in footrests for bed patients in hospitals and the like.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a foot rest for attachment to the foot of a hospital bed for engagement by the foot of or leg of a patient having the other leg in traction so that the patient may obviate sliding down in the bed under the pull on the leg in traction.

Another object is to provide a foot rest for the above purposes which is easy to adjust horizontally to suit a long or short legged patient and vertically as occasion may require and which is safe, comfortable and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of my improved foot rest in the preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in plan of the foot rest attached to the foot of a bed;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation partly in section of the same;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in vertical section partly in side elevation of a modified embodiment of the foot rest.

Referring to the drawings by numerals the foot rest of my invention comprises as its principal components a foot rest panel 1 for support in vertical position over the foot portion of the bed mattress 3 by a frame 5 supported by an attaching clamp 7 attachable to the top rail 9 and uprights 11 of the foot section 13 of a hospital bed indicated generally at 15.

The foot rest panel 1 is preferably rectangular and formed of wood with rounded corners 17 to prevent injury to a foot.

The clamp 7 comprises an elongated fiat top inverted channel member 19 fitting over the rail 9 and which in the preferred embodiment of the invention is of rectangular cross section at its ends to fit over a similarly shaped top rail 9 and is formed of an angle bar 21 with depending ears 23 at its ends and one side thereof. A central flat leg 25 depends from the other side of the bar 21 and terminates at its lower end in a clamping cross bar 27 for extending across a pair of the uprights 11.

The clamping bar 27 is provided with longitudinal end slots 29 in which hooked bolts 31 are adjustable to straddle the uprights 11 of the pair and are provided with wing nuts 33 for tightening to clamp the clamping bar 27 to said uprights. The leg 25 is obtuse angled longitudinally to'ofiset the same and the-clamping bar 21 under the member 19 so that said bar 27 will fit flat against the pair of uprights 11 and said clamping bar 27 is pivoted centrally, as at35, on-the leg 25 for positioning between the pair of uprights 11, before clamping, so as to engage the outer sides of said uprights. Suitable washers 37 are provided on the bolts '31. As will be seen the described clamp 7 is of T-shape with the channel member 19 forming its top, and the leg 25 forming its stem and the clamping bar-25, and bolts 31 forming means on the stem for fastening to the uprights 11 to hold the channel membe down on the rail 9.

The framev 5 is generally rectangular, extendslongitudinally of'thebed 15 across the channel member 19 and the rail 9 and comprises a transverse, vertical front plate 37 welded at its transverse center, as at 39, on the front end of a horizontal center bar 41 of said frame. Thecenter bar 41 extendsacross the transverse center of the channel member 19 and is slidably fitted in a transverse top sleeve 43 on the channel member 19 so that the frame 5 is slidably adjustable horizontally transversely of the channel member 19 and longitudinally of the bed 15; 'Meansfor lockingthe frame 5 in adjusted position comprises a pair of longitudinal side bars 45 at opposite sides of said frame extending across the channel member 19 over the same with front ends pivoted as at 47 in U-lugs 48 on the rear side of the front plate 37 at opposite ends of said plate, and a resilient cross rod 49 connecting the rear ends of said bars 45 and forming with said bars 45 a bail 46 vertically swingable on the plate 37. The bars 45 are provided with longitudinally spaced bottom edge notches 50 and are swingable downwardly by such swinging of the bail 46 into bifurcated ears 51 upstanding from the channel member 19 to interlock the notches 50 and ears for locking the frame 5 in difierent adjusted positions. Obviously upwardly swinging of the bail 47 will swing the bars 45 upwardly out of the cars 51 to unlock the frame 5 for adjustment.

The rear end of the center bar 41 of the frame 5 is provided with a notch 53 into which the rod 49 will snap to yieldingly retain the locking bail 46 and hence the bars 45 in locking position.

The foot rest panel 1 is vertically adjustably supported on the frame 5 by the following means. A bracket 55 is provided on the front face of the plate 37 and comprises a pair of vertical angle bracket bars 57 adjacent 0pposite ends of said plate suitably fixed thereto and extending equidistantly above and below the same. Vertically spaced cross rods 59 connect said bracket bars 59 in front of said plate 37. The foot rest panel 1 is provided on its rear face, and at opposite sides thereof, with a pair of vertical angle hanger bars 61 secured, as at 63 thereto, and having vertically spaced rear edge notches 65 downwardly and rearwardly inclined by means of which the hanger bars 61 may be hooked over the cross rods 59 to suspend the foot rest panel 1 on the bracket 55 in different vertically adjusted positions.

In the modified embodiment shown in Figure 7, the channel bar 67 of the clamp 69 is semi-cylindrical in cross section to fit over a tubular upper rail 71 of the foot section 73 of a bed. Otherwise the construction of the clamp is the same as in the first described embodiment.

In using the described foot rest the clamp 7 or 69 as the case may be, is attached as described, the frame 5 adjusted longitudinally of the bed 15 according to whether a patient is long or short legged, and the foot rest panel 1 vertically adjusted on the frame 5, as previously described, for convenient reach by the foot of the patient while the foot is rested on the mattress 3. The patient may then push with the foot of the leg not in traction against the foot rest panel 1 to push himself toward the a l- 3 head of the bed if he should slide downwardly toward the foot of the bed or to keep himself from sliding toward the foot of the bed from any desired position.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative onlyof the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact Construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modificationsand equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed asnew is as follows: I

1. A foot rest comprising a channel bar attachable over the footboard of a bed in straddling relation thereto, a vertical foot rest panel, a plate transverse to said panel, means supporting the panel on the plate, a horizontal central supporting bar on said plate traversing said channel bar and longitudinally slidably mounted on said channel bar for adjustment to adjust said plate and panel toward and from said channel bar, interlocking means on said channel bar and plate for holding the supporting bar in adjusted position comprising a pair of locking bars traversing the channel bar at opposite sides of the supporting bar and hinged at corresponding ends thereof to said plate for vertical swinging into and from looking position, and means for retaining the locking bars in locking position comprising a resilient cross-rod connecting the other ends of said locking bars, and a terminal notch in said supporting bar seating the cross-rod in the locking position of the locking bars.

2. A foot rest comprising a channel bar attachable over the footboard of a bed in straddling relation thereto, a vertical foot rest panel, a plate transverse to said panel, means supporting the panel Onthe plate, a horizontal central supporting bar on said plate traversing said channel bar and longitudinally and slidably mounted on said channel bar to adjust said plate and panel toward and from said channel bar, interlocking means on said channel bar and plate for holding the supporting bar in adjusted position comprising a bail hinged to said plate for vertical swinging into and from looking position, and means for retaining said bail in locking position comprising a terminal notch in the supporting bar seating said bail.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

